Philosophy Society plays host to Buddhism forum

By Thomas King

Troy University's Philosophy Society and the office of the associate provost welcomed Rev. Taiun Michael Elliston to give his presentation entitled 'Buddhism and the Self: A Model for Interfaith Dialogue and World Peace' on April 21.

Rev. Elliston is the founder and abbot of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center, which is currently celebrating its 32nd anniversary under his spiritual leadership. Ê

The Atlanta Soto Zen Center has affiliated groups in Athens, Ga.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Emory University; Huntsville; Wichita, Kan. and Auburn University. Ê

In 2007, Rev. Elliston was formally transmitted into the American Soto Zen lineage in recognition of a lifetime of practice and service. Ê

Soto Zen is one of the major sects of Zen Buddhism and emphasizes the practice of meditation and the application of Buddhist teachings to everyday life. ÊÊ

The topic of Rev. Elliston's presentation included but was not limited to Buddhism and the self, Buddhism and world peace and its relation to Christianity.

'In terms of world peace Thich Nhat Hanh says, 'To work for world peace, you must be world peace,' Elliston said.

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Zen master and one of the best known and most respected Zen masters in the world today.

'This practice that we do is to become and astralize in your life a kind of aspiration that you have about who and what you really are underneath all of the confusion, frustration or sense of failure we may have about ourselves,' Elliston said.

Elliston went on to compare the Buddhist teachings to modern day situations in the media.

'If you walk into a negotiation such as President Obama has been doing lately, say Israel and Palestine, you can't really have a dog in that hunt. You have to see the suffering of not only Israel or not only of Palestine, but you have to see the suffering of the other side as well,' Elliston said.

'For instance, we tend to take sides because of rape or murder. We tend to have sympathy, compassion and empathy for the victim and we don't for the perpetrator. And even though you might say that is just in terms of ethics and society, from a Buddhist perspective it's one- sided,' he added.

He went on to say that it doesn't mean Buddhists excuse violations of law or give people the right to steal.

Accompanying Elliston were his two disciples, Dan Joslyn and Frederic Lecut.

Every ten minutes or so, Joslyn would ring a small tasseled bell in front of him.

According to Elliston, 'When the bell rings it simply gives you an opportunity to return to the present.'

Shortly after, Elliston and his disciples discussed the practice of Zen and then led the entire audience of the Trojan Center Theater in a five-minute meditation.

The audience then had an opportunity to ask questions.

Clifford Gentry Lee, assistant professor of philosophy, spent most of the day with Elliston. 'Sensei Elliston also spoke to two of my ethics classes today,' Lee said.

Lee is also the adviser to the Philosophy Society, which sponsored the event.

'Personally I have a scholarly interest in religion, and I teach the world religions course here, so I'm always excited to hear from different perspectives other than the traditional western perspective,' Lee said.

'[I'm interested in] the Judaic Christian perspective, for example, because it's something we don't get to witness here everyday in the deep south,' he added.

Jenetta McGee, a music education major from Destin, Fla., has been studying Buddhism since she was nine years old and progressed in yoga classes so quickly that the actual involvement in Buddhism became part of her lessons, which she mastered at age 14.

'It was phenomenal. It was nice to hear things I had forgotten in my lessons and my teachings,' McGee said.

'It was very informational and I learned new things,' she added.

'I really enjoyed it. I thought it was really educational,' said Mary Givens, a sophomore theater major from Montgomery.

'I was intrigued by his mention of that chant that went from the self, to the people that you love, to the people that you don't know and to the people that you don't like so much. I think that's really something that I need to start doing,' she added.

McGee also realizes how Buddhism can affect her life in college.

'College life is crazy. You have studying always going on, you have classes, you have assignments, and it's always nice to take that moment and just bring yourself back to center. Buddhism and meditation help me do that,' McGee said.